Electric heater



June 26, E923.

W. S. HADAWAY, JR

' ELECTRIC HEATER v 7 Original Filed Dec. 30 1915 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June26, 1923.

- W. S. l-iADAWAY, JR

ELECTRIC HEATER Original Filed Dec. 30, 1915 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 26,1923.

W. S. HADAWAY. JR

ELECTRIC HEATER Original Filed Dc.

3O 1915 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IWI sWMI A I;

Patented June 26, 1923.

iiuiro STATES PATENT ELECTRIC HEATER.

Application filed December 30, 1915, Serial No. 69,334. Renewed October27, 1921. Serial No. 510,947.;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. HADA- WAY, J12, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and a resident of New Rochelle, lVestchester County,and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsin Electric Heaters, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part thereof. I

My invention relates to novel means and method of producing heat forgeneral pur poses, such as the heating of a room or chamber in an officeor dwelling house. It has special reference to the use of electricity inconjunction with other means for producing heat.

It is a well known fact that by' the combustion of suitable fuel, underproper conditions which are easily attainable, heat can be produced at acost far below that gener ated electrically under the most favorableconditions available up to the present time. Nevertheless, electricityhas been extensively used because of many advantagestoo well known toneed repetition. The foremostof these is probably ease of regulation andcontrol.

One object of my invention is to provide a heat generator that shallutilize electricity for starting, stopping and regulating the generationof heat by other means such as the combustion of fuel, the heatgenerated electrically being added to that otherwise produced butforming a relatively small percentage of the total heat generated;

Another object is to provide a heater that shall be adapted to burnsolid fuel and that shall utilize electricity for starting andmaintaining combustion when, and to the extent necessary to produce theheat desired, 7

whereby the standby losses usually incident to the keeping of the fireare largely avoided.

Another object of my invention is to make the electrically producedheat, the high temperature component which is a recognized essential ofthe combustion of coal and like fuels. In other words, the electricityproduces a relatively small quantity of heat at a temperature much inexcess of that required as a final product for useful consumption,

- the high temperature heat being used for the purpose of instigating,maintaining and controlling the combustion of the fuel which producesheat in larger quantities at rela tively small cost.

The embodiment ofmy invention which I now consider preferableiand whichwill be shown and described in detail herein, comprises a hightemperature heater of the general character set forth inimy copendingapplication, Serial No. 42,933 filed July 81,

i 1915, which is adapted by the consumption of electric energy totransform low temperature steam into intensely hot gases. It'furthercomprises a fuel container inwhich the fuel is subjected to the hotgases from the high temperature heater, the rate of combustion as wellas its initiation being controlled in response to the regulation of thehigh temperature heater.

Another object of my invention is to provide a fuel combustion heater inwhich hot gases are utilized for starting, maintaining and regulatingcombustion. i

Another object is to provide a compact and economical combustion heaterembodying means for preheating the supporter of combustion, regulatingthe quantity and velocity thereof and separating the ash from the fuel.

Another object is to. provide heater which shall be particularly adaptedto burn carbonaceous fuels such as coke from which the hydro-carbongases and other distillates have been removed.

. Another object is to provide a combustion of convenience and economy.

Another object is to provide. an automatic means for burningcarbonaceous materials.

which have previously been pressed or ground in masses of definitedimensions and covered with. paper for example, to secure refinement aswell as convenience in the handling of the fuel.

Anotherobject is to develop an electric furnace which may be broadlyused in the arts and in domestic service and which derives aconsiderable part of 1ts heat from combustion in addition to thatobtained from the electrical service.

Another object is to secure ignition of fuel by preheating the oxygencarrier to so high a temperature that it combineswith carbonaceousmaterial upon which it may impinge control of an electrically heatedcombustion tric'al translating appliances.

apparatus, by providing the combustion chamber of its electric furnacewith firebricks made chiefly of magnesia or of other materials which areelectrical insulators at ordinary temperatures and electrical conductorsat the preferable operating tempera ture of the furnace.

Another object is to secure regulation and control of an electricfurnace by using a part of its fireproof lining as an electricalswitch,that is, a conductor of electricity at high and an insulator at lowtemperatures.

Another objectis to utilize electricity in furnace work at hightemperatures without recourseto the customary low voltageelec- Otherobjects and advantages of my. invention will be set forth hereinafter,and in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I will nowproceed todescribe the same in the following specification, and thenpoint out the novel features thereof in appended claims.

Referring to the v drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of an electricfuel heater arranged and constructed in accordance with my invention. a

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 22 of Figure 5 showing aportion of the structure of Figure 1.

A modified structure consisting of a single unit is shown in elevationin Figure 8, which corresponcs to Figure 1, and in sectional plan viewin Figure 4 which corresponds to Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation, taken on the line 55 of Figure 1 anddrawn'to a larger scale.

Figures 6 and 7 are sectional plan views showing the structure of one ofthe units and are taken respectively on the lines 6-6 and 77 of Figure5; I

A diagram of the circuit connections which may be conveniently utilizedfor ener gizing and controlling the heater of my invention, is shown inFigure 8.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in allthefigures.

Referring particularly to Figures 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7, the structure hereshown comprises a supporting bracket 10 which may convenientlv bemounted on a wall, such as 11, in which is a flue or chimney opening 12.Mounted on the bracket are electric heater and dissociater units 13which are preferably similar in construction to that which forms thesubject matter of my copending application Se'ial No. 12,983 filed July31, 1915. I

Mounted upon these heaters and receiving their energy therefrom, ashereinafter explained. are a plurality of fuel combustion units 1 1. Thenumber of units is of no consequence to my invention and in fact, asillustrated in Figures 3 and 1, my invention may be embodied in aheating device'consisting of a single unit. he units 1% are mounted,together with the electric heater and dissoeiater units 13, in a box orcasing 15 which has a front opening 16 through which heat generated inthe apparatus may be radiated, and a perforated cover 17. The

body of the box may be integral with the bracket 10 as indicated inFigure 5, or the two parts may be separate and attached as desired.

The wall 11 is provided with a recess lS' the heater. It is, of course,well known that outlet )ic-e or line 20 throu h which burnt" l L r;

gases from the combustion heater escape to the flue 12 may be bent intoa coil 21 within the water or other cooling fluid within the receptacle.he water therefore constitutes a means for cooling the line andpreventing loss of heat which would occur if hot gases were dischargedinto the chimney. Furthermore, the temperature of the water is increasedsui'liciently so that it is evaporated rapidly and since the receptacleis open at the top and communicates with the chamber in which the heateris located, the air in the room or chamber is maintained at the properdegree of humidity for comfort and economy. Q

The heater and dissociater units13 comprise blocks 22 or masses of heatinsulating material each having a. recess 28 in its upper surface,heating coils or resistors 2a embedded in the insulation, a heating coilor resistor 25 which is disposed in the recess 23, and a dischargemember 26 which may be disposed within the heating coil 25. The blocks22 may be, formed integral if desired.

The fuel or eon'ibustion chamber 1 1 conprises a base ring 30 which ismounted on the insulating block 22 and has lugs or projections'gl whichextend radially into the recess and serve as a means for centeringthering and holding it in position on the electricheater .13. Miountedon the projections 31 of the ring 30 1321, notched ring or annulargrating 32 which is preferably formed of lire. clay orsome similarsubstance which is not injured by intense heat. The grating 32constitutes a support not only for a tubular cylinder of magnesia whichcon stitutes part of each. heater unit but also for a cylindrical blockor briquette 34 of fuel which is mounted within the tube A plurality'otanglerods or bars 35 are secured to the ring 30 and extend upwardlytherefrom. At their upper ends they support a ring 86, the parts 30, 35,36 together constituting a frame adapted to receive panels 3101 mica orsome other suitable adjustedso as to cover a greater or less number oithe perforations: 39. i i

The air supplied to the unit through these openings is not relied uponas the sole oxidize ing agent with which combustion is supported, but isintended rather to constitute a supplementary sourceot oxygen which maybe readily regulated the adjustment of the position of the damper.

The fuel block or briquette may preferably be provided with a centrallongitudinal hole 42 through which aportion ot the burnt gases mayescape, the remainder passing upwardly around the enterioroif the fuelblock and within the magnesia tube 33.

The operation of the device is as follows: Relatively low temperaturesteam or water vapor is supplied to the electric dissociater .13 throughasupply pipe 50., the steam flowing as clearly indicated inthe diagramFigure 8, through the heating Cells 24 and 25 in succession and finallybeingbrohen into its constituent elements to a greater or less degreeasitpasses through the dissociater coil 5]. and is discharged throughthe openings of the member 26. The temperature of the discharged gasesissuch as to immediately start the combustion of the briquette.

The same coils which constitutesteam wires, Figure 8, since they areinsulated from each other like those of my ccpending application serialNo. 42,933, to which reference has already been made. The electricenergy, which may be drawnfrom any suitable source indicated at 52, issu "ilied through one blade of a double pole. ivitch 53, conductor 54,automatic control. switch 55, and coils 51 25 and 2%, to conductor throuh the opposite which is connected blade of the s vitch fig-to one-citthe supply circuit conductors. The automatic switch 55 has a magnetwinding 5? which is circuit in series relation with a resistance L andthe magnesia tube g lwhich terms part or the coniibustion heater. v

TV hen the electric circuit is fir t closed, the

steam becomes superheated to an increas inglygreater extent as it passesthrough the coils 2% and 25 until finally, it .is partially dissociatedand is discharged at a high ve locity from the small holes in thedischarge member 26, in theiorm of a mixture of very highly superheatedsteam and hydrogen and oxygen. The hot gasesthus discharged impingedirectly upon the bottom of the fuel block or briquette which acarbonaceous mate heated steam. The bottom and side siurtaces of thebriquette near the bottom are thus which gradually heats the magnesiatube 32; to a glowing temperature w1th the resrt that a large quantityof useful heat is railrated from the device.

The circuit'aboye described thus comprises two branches of whichone maybe called the regulating branch including theresist once 58, themagnesia tube 33 and switch coil 57, and the other may be called theheat ing branch including the tubular vapor Ct rrying heating coils 2d,25 and 51 and the switch 55. y y y Before the magnesia tube 33 is hotthe current traversingthe regulating branch is not sufficient to openthe switch and the heating branch is therefore energised. When themagnesia tube 33 is heated to relatively high temperature its resistanceis materially reduced and the current flowing therethrough and throughthe coil 57 is i creased. sufiiciently to cpennthe switch [53. Thus theheating branch is interrupted anu the heating coils 241-, and5lfl6n12l7gl28rfl l Thetemperature of the device may be maintained foran indefinite time by the contlnued combustion or the briquette. but itthei'ormation of ash or the like cause v l temperature oi: the magneslatube 53 to t sutliciently itsresistance will belargely increased and theswitch 55 will he closed on account of the corresponding reduction inelectric vapor heatingcoils 24,

connected across the o5 burned, producing a large quantity of heat Thenthe electric vapor heaters are active,

steam or hot gases at high temperatures will be forcibly dischargedagainst the bottom of the briquette and will fiow upwardly around andthrough the central opening in the same. By this means the temperatureof the briquette willnot only be increased to make the combustion againvery active but also the flow of hot gases will create a powerful draftsul'licient to carry away anyaccumu lation of ash.

lVhen themagnesia tube is at a radiant temperature and the combustion isprogressing without the cooperation of the electric heaters, the switch55 being open, the steam or relatively low temperature vapor at 212 lfor example, may.be continuously delivered from the nozzle 26. The steamor water vapor coming in contact with the hot carbon will produce gaswhich mixes with the warm air drawn inwardly through the openings 39 andis burnt and gives up heat to the radiant body 33.

While my invention is not limited to-any specific.temperatures,attention is' iiiirected to the fact that I prefer todischarge the hotgases and vapor, for starting thecombustion of the briquette andmaintaining it under fluctuating conditions, at a high temperature, thesteam being highly superheated by the electrically generated heat in thecells 24. and 25. i I

Furthermore, the appearance of the device, particularly the multi-unitdevice,

shown in Figurel, is very attractive and.

the space which it occupies is comparatively insignificant. It isnon-the-less capable of economically consuming a relatively largequantity of carbonaceous fueland efficiently producing heat in largequantities.

The heat is of course entirelydisproportionate to the amount of electricenergy utilized in the device since the electricity is only utilized toenergize the furnace or burner in asense which is comparable to theenergization of the field magnets of a dynamo electric machine. In eachcase the average totalenergy output is much greater than the exciting orelectricalinput. In the dynamo el ctric machine the electricityconjunctively with the mechanical power supplied, yields an energy inwhich the excitation factor is but a small percentage of the total. Inthe case of my present invention the electricity is used conjunctivelywith carbonaceous or similar fuel and yields a total heat energy inwhich the electrical ignition and control factor is relatively small.

So far as I am aware, this introduces a comparatively new field in theelectrical industry and enables the electricity at an ordinarycommercial cost to be used with economy and profit both to the consumerand to the central station. My invention is furthermore, not restrictedto embodiment either in small or large units, and size, design andarrangement will dependupon the service conditions.

Attention is particularly directed to the humidifier which at the sametime constitutes a means for saving the heat which would otherwiseescape through the flue and for controlling the humidity of the air inthe room or chamber towhich the heat is supplied. i I

The single unit heater of Figures 3 and l, is substantiallylike-one ofthe units of the structures shown'in the other figures, except that ithas a single curved water receptacle 60, the outer surface of whichconstitutes a reflector for the unit.

"Various structural modifications may be employed'within the spirit andscope of my invention, and I intend that only such limitations beimposed as are indicated in'the appended claims.

What I claim is: y 1. Heating apparatus comprising a fuel combustionheater, and a supplemental.

heater comprising electrical tubular resistors adapted to be suppliedwith vapor and to supply high temperature vapor to fuel in thecombustion heater.

2. Heating apparatus comprising a radiant heating member adapted to beheated to a glowing temperature,imeans forsupporting combustible matteradjacent to'the radiant heating'member and a supplemental heatercomprising electrical tubular resistors adapted to supply hightemperature vapor to the combustible matter.

Heating apparatus comprising a member constructed to form a combustionchamber and a supplementalheater comprising vapor electric heatingelements arranged to receive vapor at a relatively low'te'mperature andto discharge gases upon fuel in said chamber at such temperature as toinitiate its combustion.

a. Heating apparatus comprising a member constructed to form acombustion chamer and asupplemental-heater comprising vapor electricheating elements arranged to receive vapor at a relatively lowtemperature and to discharge gases upon fuel in said chamber at highvelocity and at such temperature as to lnltlate lts combustion.

5. Heating apparatus comprlsmg a member constructed to form a fuelcombustion chamber and electro-responsive means for heating a carrier ofoxygen prior to its ignition to a temperature required to initiatecombustion of the fuel in said chamber and for discharging said heatedcarrier against said fuel to initiate combustion thereof.

6. Heating apparatus comprising a member constructed to form a fuelcombustion chamber and electro-responsive means for heating a carrierofoxygen prior to its ignition to a temperature required to initiate initing combustion of the fuel in said chamber and for discharging saidheated carrier against said fuel to initiate combustion thereof and toregulate said combustion.

7. Heating apparatus comprising a member constructed to form a fuelcombustion chamber and electro-responsive means for heating a carrier ofoxygen prior to its ignition to a temperature required to initiatecombustion of the fuel in said chamber and for discharging said heatedcarrier against said fuel to initiate combustion thereof and to regulatesaid combustion, and an air inlet for the combustion chamber.

8. Heating apparatus comprising a member constructed to form a fuelcombustion chamber, electro-responsive means for heating a carrier ofoxygen prior to its ignition to a temperature required to initiatecombustion of the fuel in said chamber and for discharging said heatedcarrier against said fuel to initiate combustion thereof and to regulatesaid combustion, an air inlet for the combustion chamber and means foradjusting the air inlet,

9. Heating apparatus comprising a member constructed to form acombustion chamber and a steam superheater arranged and adapted toinitiate combustion of fuel in said'chamber and to maintain the fuel atdesired temperature.

10. Heating apparatus comprising a member constructed to form acombustion chamberand means for supplying either superheated gases orlow temperature steam to the combustion chamber.

11. Heating apparatus comprising a member constructed to form acombustion chamber, an electro-responsive supplemental heater and meansfor controlling same to. H

' rounding but spaced -from said member. a

supply heat to initiate combustion of fuel in said chamber tomaintainthe fuel at desired temperature and to combine with the heat ofcombustion to regulate the heat generated.

12. Heating apparatus comprising a radiant heating member constructed toform a combustion chamber, means for introducing a vapor into saidchamber, and external means for pre-heating said vapor Without g it to atemperature above the ignition point of the fuel. a

18. Heating apparatus comprising a radiant heating member constructed toform a combustion chamber, means for introducing a vapor into saidchamber, and external electrical means for pre-heating said vaporWithout igniting it to a temperature above the ignition point of thefuel.

14:. Heating apparatus comprising a radiant heating member constructedto form a combustion chamber and a supplemental heater for fuel in saidchamber, said supplemental heater comprising electric heating mg thewhen hot a conductor of electricity, means for support ng fuel inpositicnto heat said member, an electric supplemental heater for thefuel. ant. means u temperature ofsaid member for erruptsupply of energythe supplemental beaten 16. Heating apparatus comprising a memberconstructed to form a combustion chamber, an outer casing surroundingbut spaced from said memberhaving inlet perforations near the top andopen to the combustion chamber near the bottom thereof, and asupplemental heater. near the bottom of the member adapted to initiateand maintain combustion of fuel in said chamber, and maintain the fuelat desired temperature.

17. Heating apparatus comprising a member constructed to form acombustion chamber, an outer casing surrounding but spaced from saidmember having inlet perforations near the top and open to the combustionchamber near the bottom thereof, a damper for adjusting theinletopenings, and a supplemental heater near the bottom of. the memberadapted to initiate combustion of fuel in said chamber, and maintain thefuel cap therefor, inlet perforations: near the top of the outer casingand said casing being); open to thecombustion chamber near the bottomthereof, a damper for adjusting the inlet openings, and a cap havingaucntlet flue. said excitation heater being adapted to initiatecombustion of fuel in said chamber, and mainta n the fuel at desiredlen'xpeia ture. I v

19. Heating apparatus comprising an citation heater forming a base andcomprise ing tubular resistors adapted to be supplied. with vapor and tobe electrically ener a heating member constructed to fo combustionchamber, an. outer casing surrounding but spaced from said member having inlet perforations near the top and being open to the combustionchamber near the bottom thereof, a damper for adjusting the inletopenings said excitation heater being adapted to initiate combustion offuel in said chamber, and maintain the fuel at desired temperature.

iendent upon the 20. Heating apparatus comprising an eX-- citationheater forming a base and comprising tubular resistors adapted to besupplied with vapor and to be electrically energized, a heating memberconstructed to form a combustion chamber, an outer casing surroundingbut spaced from said member having inlet perforations near the top andbeing open to the combustion chamber near the bottom thereof, a damperfor adjusting the inlet openings, and a cap having an outlet i'iuesaidfexcitation heater being adapted to.

initiate combustion of fuel in said chamber, and maintain the fuel atdesired temperature.

21. Heating apparatus comprising a member constructed to form acombustion cham her, an outer casing spaced from said member andformingtherewith a preheating air passage, air inlet ports for thepassage, means for regulating the opening of the inlet ports, andelectro-responsive means for causing a carrier of oxygen to impingeagainst fuel in said chamber at high temperature.

22. Heating apparatus comprising a radiant heatingmember constructed toform a combustion chamber and arranged to be heated to a glowingtemperature by the combustion of fuel therein, a supplemental heater forthe fuel, and a translucent outer casing surrounding but spaced fromsaid member.

23. Heating apparatus comprising a radiant heating member constructedtoform a combustion chamber and arranged to be heated to a glowingtemperature by the combustion of fuel therein, a supplemental heater forthe fuel, a. translucent outer casing surrounding but spaced from saidmem-- her, and a cap on said caslng'havmg an outlet fiue for the fuelchamber.

24. Heating apparatus comprising an excitation heaterforming a base andcomprising tubular resistors adapted to be supplied with vapor and to beelectrically energized, a supporting ring mounted thereon, a radiantmember on the supporting ring constructed to form a combustion chamber,an outer casing surrounding but spaced from said member havingtranslucent portions, said casing having inlet perforations near the topand being open tothe combustion chamber near the bottom thereof, adamper for adjusting the inlet openings, and a cap having an outlettluesaid excitation heater being adapted to initiate combustion of fuel insaid chamber, and maintain the fuel at desired temperature.

25. The herein described method of heating which comprises heating avapor by other means than by ignition thereof to a temperature'above theignition temperature of a fuel and applying a current of the heatedvapor to the fuel.

26. The herein described method of heating which comprises heating avapor by other means than by ignition thereof to a temperature above theignition temperature of a fuel, applying a current of the heated vaporto the fuel, and admitting air to the point of combustion.

27. The herein described method of heating which comprises heating avapor to a temperature above the ignition temperature of a fuelconfining a body of the fuel, directing the heated vapor to the fuel,and regulating the heat generated by automatically reducing thetemperature of the vapor.

28. Heating apparatus comprising a mem ber constructed to form a fuelcombustion chamber and means for heating a carrier of oxygen prior toits ignition to a temperature required to initiate combustion of thefuel in said chamber and for discharging said heated carrier againstfuel in said chamber to initiate combustion thereof.

29. Heating apparatus comprising a member constructed to form a fuelcombustion chamb r, means for heating gases or low temperature steam.prior to their'ignition to a temperature required to initiate combustionin said chamber, and for discharging said heated gases orsteam againstfuel in said chamber to initiate combustion thereof.

30. Heating apparatus comprising a member constructed to form acombustion cham- WILLIAM s. HADAWAY, JR.

